Al-Attas: The Outputs of the NDC Glimmers Hope for Southerners

The former Prime Minister, Haider Abu Bakr al-Attas, emphasized his approval about dividing Yemen into two regions to a transitional period, followed by granting southerners the right to self-determination, while he criticized the vision of former vice president Ali Salem al-Baid, saying he is in contact with all the parties and the president Hadi.

In an interview with «Arab» channel, on the 1st of February, Al-Attas said that in the outputs of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) a glimmer of hope for southerners, and the document of just solution to the South’s issue gave good outputs to get out with a security solution for both people in the south and north.

Al-Attas added that he talked with the UN envoy Jamal Benomar about finding a mechanism to implement NDC document based on the negotiation between the north and south “ we demanded from the Security Council to issue a special initiative to resolve the issue of the South” said by Al-Attat.

“I demanded for president Hadi to refuse dividing the southern governorates into two regions, showing my approval about vision of the southern leaders conference which was announced two years ago in Cairo.” Al-Attas added.

Al-Attas explained that, according to this vision, Yemen divides into two federal regions, in the same borders before 1990 for five years, followed by granting southerners the right to a referendum on staying in the unity or separation. “90% of southern support this vision” Al-Attas emphasized.

Al-Attas criticized Ali Salem al-Baid, who manages separatist opposition from Lebanon using a television channel, saying that “al-Baid always takes extreme measures, either when we were in power or now, so we may disagree”.